Tow hooks

madmikeismad

madmikeismad

So mad
Joined
Dec 19, 2009
Messages
14,347
Kind of off topic, but...

I've seen people spend over 50 bucks on tow hooks. Thats fine if you need them to look factory, but there is a much cheaper way.

I went to tractor supply, bought 1 clevis hook, and 2 "D" shaped rings. They are all rated the same as my tow strap at 30k+ pounds. I welded one D ring to each frame rail, about 6 inches after it starts to curve up to go to the bumper. I just hooked the hook on there, and I can swap it from side to side, depending on how I'm stuck, or how the other person is stuck.

I've used them before, they work great! Cost me about 15 bucks I think all said and done. I'm deployed or I'd get pics of them. Just imagine a hook hanging off your frame under the bumper, but above the axle (at least on a lifted truck :D ).

Maybe some people have already done this, but if I can save one person 30 bucks, then this post is worth it.
 
I'm deployed right now, and I'm trying to get my buddy to send me some pics of it. I'm gonna post them as soon as he emails them too me.
 
Alright, lets see if I can remember how to do this. And remember I'm 6'3, plus whatever my boots add.

You can see the hook on the passenger side in the one picture, just barely. There's a ring on the drivers side too, and I can just swap the hook from side to side.

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What lift kit is that? Those are the same tires I'd like to run. Also, how much backspacing on your wheels?
 
It was a used tuff country kit that came with skyjacker springs, got it from a guy on here. Top gun customs sells it for 900 I think. Good lift, but retains stock track bar, so I added a DT profab, also used off a local buddy in Fargo.

Total it was about 5in total lift on my truck. I left the spacers on so I have 7in in front, and I did a shackle flip with a zero rate block, so I have about 7in total in the rear also. I'm thinking of taking the 2in spacers out of the front, and the 1.5 lift block out of the rear, so the tires fit in the wheel wells a little better.

I plan on getting the new long arm kit from top gun customs for our 2nd gens. Good price and very heavy duty. They also sell progressive rate springs I might try to get to replace these ones.

The tires/wheels are humvee pull offs from trailworthyfab.com (406yj on pirate). He cuts the gm centers out, put the chrysler ones in at whatever backspacing you want (4in for me), powders them if you want, and adds PVC for double bead lock/run flat if you want it. I got everything and all said and done with truck freight it was 1300 to a dock in Fargo. Had to go 80 miles to pick them up, but it was worth it.

Tires are 37x12.5r16.5, wheels are 10in wide. They are beasts in the snow and mud, crap on the ice, and normal on pavement. Just a little bit of road noise, can only hear it when I'm coasting and the exhaust is "quiet."

Also, you can't see it in these pics, but I had to weld a 6ft piece of steel to the bottom of my hitch to be compliant with bumper height laws here. Just a plain piece of steel (like an I-beam cut in half).
 
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Oh, I'm gonna get a tire siper and groove and sipe these tires when I get back. Seen people do it before. Takes lots of time, but they say it's a night and day difference with tires like these on ice and mud.
 
Nope, no rub whatsoever. Drives smooth, until you hit a bump, and then it's like I have 2x4's for shocks. That's just my short arms though. I'm calling top gun customs as soon as they actually put their new long arm kit up for sale.
 
the long arm kit will still ride like **** i have it on mine i want to take the lift off thats how bad it is and im guess the roads around here might be worse but idk.. but i wanted to say nice idea with the hooks it would work good for tie downs on a trailor also i would think
 
Yup, you can just hook right to the rings for tiedowns.

My truck doesn't ride that bad. I guess it's the quality of the springs and shocks. I'm looking at getting some progressive rate springs, and maybe some better shocks.

I know going to a long arm setup will help quite a bit. Right now, my short arms are at almost a 45* angle lol.
 
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